


Green Light (In My Eyes)

by joidianne4eva



Category: Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby (2013)
Genre: Character Death Fix, M/M, Timey Wimey Stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-11
Updated: 2014-04-11
Packaged: 2018-01-19 00:02:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1447873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joidianne4eva/pseuds/joidianne4eva
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shaking his head Nick removed his suitcase from the bed before stretching out across the cold sheets. Exhaling softly he raised his hand before his face, eyes flickering over the ring he’d taken to wearing after Jay’s funeral…it was a reminder of sorts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Green Light (In My Eyes)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Cougars_Catnip for the read through (ages ago)
> 
> I'm slowly working through this one too.

Nick wasn’t sure of when Gatsby…no Jay, he wouldn’t call the man Gatsby not now that he knew the truth. He wasn’t sure of when Jay had managed to change his finances in such a way that Nick was named the sole beneficiary in the event of his passing. Perhaps the man had done it in the few hours that Nick had left him alone as he waited on the phone call from Daisy, the phone call that had never come…at least not to Nick’s knowledge. It was just like Jay to do something like that, maybe he’d seen through Nick’s deceit as he tried to steer him away from the idea that Daisy would come with him or maybe Daisy’s actions had finally shattered the rose tinted view he had of the woman. Whatever the reason, the outcome was the same…all of Jay’s riches were now his and Nick would trade every single cent if it meant that he could get the man back.

Rubbing a hand across his face Nick turned away from the window where he’d been absentmindedly watching the people move below. He was at the end of his stay at the Sanatorium, the craving for alcohol was now something that he could say that he’d beaten into submission but the thing that had driven him to drink was still there, like a cloud that hovered over him and not even writing it all down could cure him…not completely.

Shaking his head Nick removed his suitcase from the bed before stretching out across the cold sheets. Exhaling softly he raised his hand before his face, eyes flickering over the ring he’d taken to wearing after Jay’s funeral…it was a reminder of sorts. A reminder that action was sometimes better than restraint because maybe if he’d told Jay of what he’d heard…told the man that Daisy had never intended to come with him then Jay would still be alive. Or maybe if he hadn’t been such a coward he could have admitted that Jay had managed to not only captivate Daisy but him as well. Clenching his fingers into a fist Nick rolled onto his side. It was too late to think of such things now….Jay was gone and tomorrow Nick would leave the sanatorium and start his life anew and he’d live each moment for the man that had taught him to hope even when hope was the very thing that hurt the most.

*O*

Nick woke with a gasp, his heart pounding in his chest as a half-forgotten dream lingered at the edge of his mind. Blinking he frowned up at the ceiling…..a ceiling he hadn’t seen for two years not since Jay’s death. The thought had him shoving away the sheets that were tangled around his body as he leapt from the bed, turning in a tight circle but everything was there, his dresser, the old knickknacks he’d collected…his old bed. Everything was there but it shouldn’t be…couldn’t be because Nick had sold the house, he’d sold it and everything in it so how could he be back here now, how could he….?

The sound of laughter filtered in through his open window and Nick’s eyes widened as he rushed towards the sound because it was there….the house, Jay’s house was there…not the silent tome that it had been at the end but like it had been before Daisy. Nick could see people darting to and fro in the garden as servants tended the plants and he couldn’t help the hysterical laughter that burst from him as his legs gave out and he slid to the floor.

He’d gone mad….that was the only explanation for it. His grief had finally broken his fragile grip on sanity and now his delirium was bleeding through, making him see things that weren’t there, things that couldn’t possibly exist no matter how much he longed for them.

A piece of paper at the foot of his bed caught his eye and Nick crawled towards it, pulling the thing towards him as he began to read.

**_To Mr Nick Caraway I leave my estate and monies in the case of my death. Mr Caraway is to be informed of his inheritance only after relocating to West Egg. Upon receiving this correspondence Mr Caraway should be directed to contact Edward Heath of Heath & Son to receive full disclosure of what his inheritance includes. _ **

**_Dan Cody_ **

**_Sometimes hope is the only thing that keeps a man sane. Keep him safe._ **

Nick dropped the letter like he’d been burned. The only Dan Cody he knew of was the one that Jay claimed had been his best friend, the man that had made him into the gentleman he was but Dan Cody was dead….and more importantly Nick had never met the millionaire so how could a dead man have written to him? Hell, how could he have suddenly have gone back in time? This wasn’t possible and the more he thought of it, the more convinced Nick became that this was just a hallucination, one that he would no doubt wake from any moment now….all he had to do was wait.

Thought in mind, Nick leaned up and pulled his window shut, blocking out the sounds and ignoring the way that the window had felt real beneath his hands because this was not real, none of it was real. He needed to concentrate on that and the next time when he woke he would be in his bed, in the sanatorium. Crawling back into the bed was easier to do now that Nick understood what was going on and when he closed his eyes, sleep came easily.

*O*

When Nick woke for the second time, a part of him wasn’t surprised to find that he was still in his little house in West Egg. It seemed that not even sleep could cure him of his madness or perhaps this was no madness at all. Reaching down he pinched himself, flinching as pain lanced along his thigh…well at least that meant that he was awake if nothing else.

Rolling over, Nick pulled himself upright as thought after thought flashed through his mind. If by some chance any of this was real, then he needed to take steps to ensure that what had happened didn’t happen again and that meant he needed to know what day it was.

Leaving his bed behind Nick made his way to the small calendar that he kept on his bedroom door. The uncrossed number told him that today was the 17th of July just a few days before he’d hosted Daisy at his house which meant that Jay would be sending him the invitation to his party in two days…if Jay even existed in this place but the house was there and Nick hoped that that meant nothing but his own presence had been altered by whatever had tossed him back to this time.

Glancing back at the bed Nick caught sight of the note. He still doubted its authenticity but there was only one way to find out if the thing was a fake. Grabbing the letter from the bed Nick went in search of his telephone, thankfully Heath & Son was a law firm that he was familiar with and Nick sat at his table as he dialled the number from memory.

A few hours later Nick sat staring at the note in shock. The receptionist had been vague about Mr Heath’s whereabouts until Nick had introduced himself and then the woman ‘s attitude had changed in a second and the next thing Nick knew he was agreeing to meet the lawyer to sign for an inheritance that by all rights shouldn’t have been his in the first place.

Shaking his head, Nick muffled the hysterical laughter that was bubbling up from his chest. Somehow Dan Cody had known that this would happen, that jay would die and that Nick would be given a second chance because Nick had no doubt that Jay was the ‘him’ that Dan’s note had alluded to but that didn’t answer the question of how. How was he supposed to keep Jay safe when the man was so determined to have his dream life with Daisy? And now that Nick was aware of his own feelings for the man, how was he to just stand aside and watch as Jay ruined himself for a woman who would never truly love him? It was almost inconceivable but Nick knew one thing for certain and that was that if he wanted to have any chance at keeping Jay among the living then he would have to take action instead of watching from the side-lines as he’d done before.

*O*

The first change that Nick implemented was not going to visit Daisy and Tom…he would go at another time but he knew that today was when Tom would try to wrangle him into coming along on his little trip to see his mistress. It would also be the point where alcohol stopped being something that Nick would only consume in polite settings and he’d rather avoid that side effect completely if he could. He was well aware that the decision would mean that he wouldn’t meet Jordan either but that was something that he’d have to accept.

Instead Nick focused his mind on his business at Heath & Son, wiping his sweaty palms against his trousers as he waited for the taxi that would take him to the firm. He kept expecting the world to shift back into what it had been before he’d woken in this strange repeated life but nothing changed and as he stood on his porch he could feel the familiar prickle that he’d only felt when Jay was watching him. Turning, Nick glanced up at the house just in time to see the curtains twitch and he allowed himself a small smile as a sudden warmth burst to life in his chest. Maybe this was real…maybe he truly had a chance to change Jay’s future but he knew that it wouldn’t be easy. Everything that Gatsby had been was hinged on his love for Daisy, his dream of the perfect life that they were meant to have and somewhere along the way Jay had been lost to the illusion he’d created and Nick knew that it would take all of his attention to break that illusion without breaking Jay as well.

The arrival of the taxi pulled Nick from his thoughts and he chanced a glance back at Jay’s house but this time the curtains remained still and Nick turned away finally stepping into the vehicle.

*O*

His time spent at the law firm confused him even more because while he could understand why Dan would want to protect Jay, he couldn’t understand the how nor why the man had focused on Nick instead of giving Jay the riches he needed to woo Daisy. Then again if Jay had had the inheritance at his fingertips Nick couldn’t imagine what would have happened…maybe he would have come straight to Daisy after the war. Nick knew she would have accepted him then because Daisy must have felt something for Jay but she wasn’t willing to gamble her chance of living the life of the rich and famous just based on feelings. If Dan had known that Jay would die to protect Daisy Nick could understand why the man had been reluctant to give Jay any help in pursuing the woman.

Nick signed the documents that he needed to, only listening to the lawyer with half an ear as he thought of what he would need to do to ensure that Jay didn’t go down the dark road that had led to his death a second time.

By the time he left the firm one thing was clear to Nick, he couldn’t wait for Jay’s invitation…if he had any hope of reaching the man before his haze of Daisy became too strong then he would have to make Jay notice him first and that meant going to one of the man’s parties.

*O*

By the time Nick made his way back home it was already dark. The lights of Jay’s house blazed like a beacon in the darkness beckoning him to come closer and after dropping his purchases inside his house Nick followed the call. Slipping into the house was easier than the first time because Nick knew what to expect and the crush of the bodies against his didn’t surprise him as much this time around. Quickly separating himself from the throng of the crowd Nick climbed the stairs that led to Jay’s library, the sounds of the party muting as he pulled the door shut behind him.

Owl Eyes wasn’t there yet and Nick smiled to himself as he glanced around the familiar room. He and Jay had spent so much time in here, talking about everything and anything when the man managed to separate himself from Daisy. It was shocking that Nick hadn’t noticed his own feelings back then when the thought of Jay spending time with his cousin had made something bitter curl in the pit of his stomach. But he’d played it off as his guilt at allowing his cousin to break her wedding vows though in truth he hadn’t _allowed_ Daisy to do a damn thing.

Grimacing at the thought Nick walked to one of the many shelves, his fingers flitting over the spine of the books until he came to Jay’s collection of Poe’s work. Pulling the small book from the shelf Nick retreated to his chair and waited. He didn’t have to wait long because soon enough the door to the library opened and Nick had to force himself to keep his eyes on the words on the page instead of letting them stray to the figure standing a few feet away.

“There’s a wild party outside, old sport, you shouldn’t lock yourself away in here.”

Nick exhaled slowly using the moment to slow his pounding heart before he glanced up and met Jay’s eyes. The man was watching him curiously and Nick forced his expression into a blank mask as he smiled up at him.

“I’m not really one for crowds,” he explained, gesturing to the book in his lap. “I’d rather read than have to shout simply to say hello.”

Jay inclined his head in understanding as he took a step closer. “A man after my own heart,” he smiled, squinting a bit. “You look strangely familiar have we met before?”

“During the war.” Nick offered up, not giving Jay a chance to start speculating. “Or maybe you recognize me because I live just next door.”

Jay’s eyes widened and Nick wondered if the man already knew that he and Daisy were cousins, not that it mattered at this point but it would have been nice to know. After a long moment of silence Jay took a step closer and Nick’s eyes dropped to the ring that the man wore…the same one Nick had been wearing before all this began. It looked much better on Jay’s finger, everything looked better on Jay…everything except death. The thought made Nick curl his hand into a fist as he remembered the way that Jay had looked; almost peaceful as he lay in his coffin…peaceful but still so lonely.

Another step and now Jay was leaning on the chair opposite Nick, his eyes glinting with curiosity and something else that made Nick’s smile soften. It had taken him so long to realize that where Gatsby was more than willing to walk into a room full of people and captivate them all with little effort, Jay was much shier.

“If you aren’t too busy with your party you could join me…..” Nick suggested waving to the chair. “Not that you need an invitation.”

Jay’s eyes flickered from him to the chair before his lips curled into a slow smile. “I didn’t want to disturb you,” he admitted even as he lowered himself into the seat. “Usually when a man sees fit to hide himself away, he isn’t looking for company.”

Nick cocked a brow at that. “Or he could simply be waiting for the correct company,” he responded, ducking his head when Jay chuckled softly.

“That as well,” the man sighed, settling back into the chair.

There were so many questions buzzing around Nick’s head. It would be foolish to presume that this was all still a hallucination but that left many other questions unanswered and now that he’d introduced himself to Jay did that mean the man would ask him for the favor sooner? Because Nick had no clue of how he was going to get out of inviting Daisy over if Jay asked it of him…at least there was no way that he could do it without alienating the man. It was a conundrum and Nick had no idea of how he would need to approach the situation. His confusion must have bled through into his expression because Jay leaned forward, his shift making Nick glance up just in time to see the furrow pull at the man’s brows.

“You look like someone with a lot on your mind…..” Jay trailed off though Nick was damn sure that the man knew his name…just like he was sure that Jay already knew that he was related to Daisy, if he was honest. Jay had once said that he’d kept Nick’s company because he wanted to and not just because of the fact that Nick was the only person who could get him closer to the woman that he’d spent years obsessing over but now with the weight of years he had yet to live pressing down on him Nick wondered if Jay had told him the truth or if the man had seen how much Nick had needed to be needed, if even for a little while.

Running a hand through his hair Nick pasted on a smile that couldn’t have been very convincing because Jay’s eyes narrowed as he watched him. “It’s fine…I’ve been busy today. Maybe I should go to bed, think things over with a fresh head, so to speak.”

Jay nodded though his expression was still doubtful but he didn’t stop Nick when he rose to his feet. “Well I do hope you will stop by again, old sport,” he said and Nick could hear the query in the man’s tone but he couldn’t bring himself to answer not when the memories of what had been were pressing in on him like the bars of a cage. Instead he waved at Jay and took his leave, feeling the man’s eyes on him as he left the room and let himself be swallowed up by the crowd.

*O*

Jay followed the man from the room, watching as he cut through the crowd. He knew who the man was, had known from the moment he’d started renting the little cottage that had been empty for so long that Jay had almost forgotten it was there. Yet all the information he’d gathered on Nick Carraway hadn’t prepared him for meeting the man. The invitation that he’d prepared for Nick was still waiting in his room and Jay had planned how he would introduce himself but keep aloft in a way that would pique Nick’s curiosity but now he was the one that was left curious. Nick didn’t behave like the accounts of him had suggested he would and though Jay knew he had two years on the man Nick’s presence was heavily weighted like someone who had seen the world twice over and found it wanting.

Jay didn’t know how to react to that…nor did he know what to do now that Nick had taken the first step. Would it still be acceptable to invite the man to another party now that Nick knew that his parties didn’t require an invitation or would the oddity make the man pull back? Jay couldn’t have that because Nick was his most important link to Daisy and without him Jay would have to recreate plans he’d spent months creating.

“Mr Gatsby.”

Jay blinked as the familiar voice broke into his thoughts and he turned to his butler with a soft smile. The man was less of a servant and more of a confidante but he liked to keep up appearances so Jay let him.

“Yes, Willard?”

Willard glanced out at the crowd as he took a step closer. “Did your meeting with Mr Carraway go as you wished it?” the man inquired and Jay sighed, shaking his head as he watched Nick leave the house.

“I wouldn’t say so,” he responded. “It seems that there is more to Mr Carraway than I’d thought.”

Willard nodded in understanding. “He is different,” he agreed softly.

Jay snorted. “That is one way of saying it but different or not my plans will have to go on, I simply need to adjust them.”


End file.
